A series of haunting assassinations draws an unlikely coterie of Cainites to the gilded city of Constantinople and into a byzantine mire of conspiracy, intrigue, and betrayal.

The Obertus Tzimisce

(modified from Constantinople by Night, pp. 76-77)

Nestled within the folds of the southern slopes of Lycus Valley, between the Walls of Constantine and those of Theodosius, lies the secluded monastery of the Akoimetai, or “sleepless” monks. It is from this enclosed sanctuary that the Tzimisce of Constantinople have, for centuries, practiced and followed their own form of Cainite monasticism.

In the early centuries after the birth of Christianity, the Dracon, childe of the Tzimisce antediluvian, came to admire and respect the monastic lifestyle. Monks’ rigourous and strict regimen, their veneration of prayer and meditation, but above all, it was their quest for knowledge that endeared these holy men to him. The Dracon set out to create his own order in the clan’s image. It’s ultimate goal was to gather knowledge in pursuit of wisdom, to meld the philosophies of Metamorphosis and Christianity into a search for the divine spark within all creatures.

For centuries the Akoimetai monks, then also known as the Draconians, supplied the Antonians with educated advice (which was not always welcome) and the Michaelites with the spiritual vision to guide their inspiration. The feud that the Dracon had with his pagan clan-mates of the Carpathians occasionally flared into war, and the Bulgarian Tzimisce were soon hired to provide a buffer. The Voivodes of Bulgaria were not well-disposed towards the Draconians, however, and instead chose to put their swords at the disposal of the Antonians in return for provincial Scion status. The home-grown feud between the Dracon and Antonius sapped the spiritual energy of the order in time, and the founder eventually turned control of the order over to Gesu and Symeon, despite remaining in the city for decades afterwards.

In the years since he abandoned the city and the Dream, the brothers Gesu and Symeon have been responsible for reshaping the order. The mortal followers and families loyal to the Tzimisce no longer call themselves the Akoimetai, at least among themselves, but rather consider themselves to be Gesudians, in veneration of the local Cainite Saint.

Indeed, Obertus Tzimisce influence has been substantial throughout the ages of Europe. Responsible for the widespread worship of icons and for the influence of the monastic orders, they have shaped the course of history in many ways.

Their greatest accomplishment as a family has been the creation and founding of the Library of the Forgotten. During the seventh and eighth centuries, the Dracon and his ghoul monks began collecting knowledge and information, assembling one of the finest libraries in the world. It is rumored that, in the years before the destruction of the Library of Alexandria, the Dracon sent his monks to transcribe some of the most precious scrolls, saving a number of tomes and books thought to be lost forever.

ORGANIZATION

The Obertus are organised around the spiritual leader Gesu. Although many of their precepts were established by the Dracon, it was Gesu who melded the worship of vampirism with that of Christianity, using a number of Christian rituals and beliefs to unlock the divinity within themselves. The Obertus believe that only through the strict veneration of Christ can transcendence be achieved. Under his enlightened rule, the Obertus follow a regimented existence aimed at understanding their vampiric nature and, more importantly, the divine essence that rests within, which only God can unlock.

However, the Obertus also possess a poorly understood secular arm, which is administrated by Symeon and his childer. They are small in number and busy themselves overseeing the numerous lands that are owned by the monastic order as well as the founding of new monasteries in distant lands where the power of the eastern church persists. Scattered Obertus monasteries can be found all over the empire, and within the former boundaries of the empire (although only a few can be found in lands dominated by Islam). Generations of mortal families have lived and died tilling the soil of farms owned by the Obertus, and attending religious devotions where they are subtly inculcated with their beliefs. Unusual even in the more educated East, all of these servants are given an outstanding education by the monks that watch over them, for knowledge is seen as the first (and most important) step towards embracing spiritual and mental development. More than one secular Obertus has been overheard commenting that knowledge is their god. Most of Symeon’s agents are mortals of noble backgrounds, and indeed he has a preference for making ghouls from among the Byzantine aristocracy.

Gesu protects his mortal followers out of love and necessity. Given the rumored inhuman appearance of the Tzimisce, mortal followers are needed to maintain contact with the outside world. Since the founding of the order, these mortal families have partaken in Communion with the Tzimisce by drinking their blood, becoming ghouls and often living for hundreds of years. Children are taught devotion to the order as soon as possible, and the vast majority of postulants to the Akoimetai are taken from these families.

A ROSTER OF OBERTUSTZIMISCECOMMONLYFOUND IN CONSTANTINOPLE

The Keeper of the Faith, Chief librarian (Childe of the Dracon, e. unknown)

The Watcher, Guardian of the library (Childe of the Keeper of the Faith, e. mid 11th century CE)

The Other Watcher, Guardian of the library (Childe of the Keeper of the Faith, e. late 11th century CE)

It is thought that as many as a score of the Obertus Order take shelter within the Monasteries of St. John Studius and the Church of Christ Pantokrator

CURRENTCONCERNS

By Gesu’s orders, only certain notables among the Trinity and Scion families (such as Lady Alexia and Gregory the Wondermaker) can expect to approach the gates of the Monastery of St. John Studios and be admitted without express invitation. It is known that Symeon has tried to reason with Gesu on this matter, but the Cainite saint will not heed him. As a result, the Tzimisce have become isolated from the rest of the city and the intrigues that concern it. Only Lord Symeon, and the small group of Obertus who aid the Quaesitor in overseeing secular matters, have any ready contacts among the families.

Indeed, in opposition to the isolationism engendered by Gesu, Symeon and the secular Obertus have entered into a phase of flurried activity. With an eye towards expanding the order and insulating it from the uncertain times ahead, Myca Vykos has been engaged far afield, seeking to make new connections in Bulgaria and Transylvania so that new lands might be granted for the purposes of establishing monasteries. Symeon himself has established closer links with the Obertus, and has acted on their behalf in a number of brutal martial displays on behalf of the princes of Thessalonica and Adrianople.

RELATIONSWITHOTHERFAMILIES

The Obertus Tzimisce, with the exception of Symeon and his small coterie, rarely venture outside of the monastery. The resulting distance from the other families has led to a degree of distrust of the Obertus. Constantinople age-old animosity between the Ventrue and Tzimisce, though not nearly as so strong as it was during the Iconoclast years, still colours relations between the two families. While the secular Obertus find welcome at the Blood Feasts of the Antonians, their more spiritually inclined brethren would not. The Michaelite Toreador, who have historically been allies of the Tzimisce, also cooled towards them during the late 11th century and the alliance of Belisarius and Symeon. Overtures of forgiveness and friendship have been made, but the alliance remains shaky at best.

RELATIONSWITHOUTSIDERS

Any contact that outsiders have with the Obertus is an enigmatic and unnerving experience. Their power and influence throughout the city is subtle and mysterious, but unmistakeable. Gesu has grown weary of the world outside of his monastery walls, but he is still in need of contacts. Those Cainites who display a passion for knowledge and insight might be invited to join the Obertus Order and gain further understanding of themselves. But only after recognising Gesu as the Saint of the Divinity Within, and their guide through matters esoteric and spiritual.

The secular Obertus are far more open to making more prosaic associations. Symeon has taken full time residence in the Monastery of Christ Pantokrator for some decades now. Home to hundreds of monks and postulant students attending the university at the Monastary of St. John Studius, the place is a beacon for the furtherance of science and medicine. Those wishing to deal with the Tzimisce would be well advised to seek an audience with he or his childe, Myca Vykos, there.

INTERNALRELATIONS

Very little is known about the way in which the Obertus interact with one another. According to Gregory the Wondermaker, who often enjoys Obertus hospitality, the two brothers, Gesu and Symeon maintain amicable relations with one another. The Gesudian majority see themselves in a position of service rather than one of leadership and as a result, there is either very little backbiting or it is so subtle that the uninitiated wouldn’t even recognize it as such. While still technically considered to be monks, the secular Obertus appear to have taken pains of late to emphasise the differences between they and their Gesudian brothers and sisters. In the past they were merely regarded as anomalous, or at the very least, simply poor devoted in comparison to their enigmatic and unsettling counterparts. They have been known to make the wealth of the order available for those who would deal with them on favourable terms, and none of them prefer the sack-cloth of the penitent over damask. Indeed, the secular Obertus appear to revel in tasteful but expensive displays, and they are rapidly eclipsing the ‘Gesudian sun’ with regards to the respect of their rivals amongst the families. The consequences of this in terms of harmony between the spiritual and secular Obertus are yet to be seen.
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Much of the work on this page was written by Haligaunt for his chronicle The Concord of Ashes . I have made some minor changes to ensure the wiki’s are suitable for my setting and game. Many thanks to Haligaunt chronicle for all his hard work and allowing me to use his work.